Friday, February 25, 2011

STRANDING , GROUNDING ON CHEMICAL TANKERS-- CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL

A usual Grounding/ Stranding drill on a ship--just ignores the Engine department.

This is why when ships run aground, critical things are missed out by the Engineers.

Cant blame them, for if you see your company's SMS manual or VRP-- it is mostly outdated and unrealistic bullshit, written by fresh water navigators !.

Read, and be safe!

STRANDING

No.

Action

Tick

If ship experiences unusual and strange vibrations/ quivering with change in engine rpm, it can be suspected that the ship is touching bottom.Immediately watch for reduction of GPS speed with respect to propeller speed.

NEVER HESITATE TO USE BOTH ANCHORS , TO PREVENT RUNNING AGROUND.

1

Stop main engines

2

Call Master

3

If pilot was on bridge his full name and statement

4

Engine room to change over to high sea suction

5

Sound General Emergency for mustering all crew and head count

6

Advise Engine Room

7

Note down if any vibration or shudder was felt and the time taken for the shudder to stop and GPS to register zero speed.

8

Note down soundings as per echo sounder atthe afloat part of transducer

9

Close all watertight doors

10

Check for injuries to the crew

11

Exhibit light/shapes for stranding : put on deck lighting

12

Send urgency message by GMDSS

13

Amend screen on AIS

14

Sound all tanks and bilge and look for change or air coming out of airpipes for water ingress

Master to keep accurate record of losses and expenditure in case of GA

Notes: in case vessel is beached intentionally due to imminent danger of sinking, take on full ballast before beaching. Beach bow first if bow is damaged and vice versa. Use weather anchor for refloating at high water and extricating later. Be pro-active when checking potential for pollution by annex 1 oils, the spill cleanup costs are heavy. Always be on the guard for INVOLUNTARY removal from grounded site and drift to more perilious location.

Description

You will feel the drag/ vibrations and the final lurch/ thud in the Engine room .

2

Note the speed , drop in speed , rpm and time taken to come to complete standstill.

3

Stop the ME immediately and note the time.

4

Engines will not be commanded astern on the engines without immediate risk assessment of seaworthiness ( firmly aground / listing/ shifting ) and ascertaining the quality of the bottom. Sometimes common sense will dictate that the ship must be driven in further as a imminent flooding damage control/ safety of life measure. Impulsive and hasty decisions without considering damage stability and stress evaluation will be avoided.

Before trying out the ME and rudder ascertain if it is feasible to do so based on past/ current drafts and nature of bottom. There is no tearing hurry to do so, before vital checks are done.

Ascertain from the bridge if the tide is rising or falling.

Obtain the the soundings all round the ship with handlead from the deck department—also the past drafts.

20

Turn the ME on turning gear and check the crank web deflections and bearing clearances (only if the propeller can be turned by turning gear.)

21

It may be necessary to transfer bunkers from a ruptured tank to an intact tank depending on the desired trim

22

Take photographs

23

Collect information for proper log entries as there is bound to be a Marine court inquiry. Information like Course and rpm before grounding. GPS position, draft and soundings before/ after grounding, sketch of the vessel in grounded position with salient details like direction of ships head , distance from shore, current direction and velocity, list/ trim developed, direction of swell , tidal range etc

24

It may be necessary to fill up tanks to steady ship if there is risk of movement and pounding.

25

No unwarranted and detailed explanations are to be tendered to any outside source—Master is the authorized man to do this .

Notes:

Pro-active Risk management by ships management team includes official

notifications/ communications as per VRP, handling news media, minimizing further damage, improving residual strength, determining the best way and time to refloat on own power after trimming/ listing the ship by deballasting/ internal transfer , tug assistance required in case of damage to manoevering/ propulsion systems , use of divers to do RA on underwater hull, stern frame stock and propeller , time for assistance to arrive, facing the swell with ground tackle to prevent broaching, General average considerations by Master if cost of ship is less than cargo which means saving cargo, port of refuge considerations , use of booms to contain pollution in case there is loss of aesthetic value to nearby tourist beaches or heritage reefs , hull girder failure due to scouring induced hogging, slope and nature of sea floor, availability of barges to remove bunkers for pumping air into damaged tank, lightening valuable cargo in consultation with company, removing un-necessary crew etc-

In case of prolonged grounding, tugs fees can run up to huge amount. Be aware of tug rates per hour and minimum charges.

NEVER MIND IF THE WHOLE WORLD SAYS DIFFERENT- there are IDIOTS who have never seen a mountain, but claim to have climbed it.

GROUNDING IS AN ACCIDENT, THE CAPTAIN IS DISGRACED

STRANDING IS INTENTIONAL , MOST OF THE TIME THE CAPTAIN SMELLS OF ROSES .

there is a clause in tidal river ports of south america called NAABSA -- not always afloat but safely aground. ship does not float but sits on soft mud during low tide. this misnomer has caused confusion .

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